• View ecochildsplay’s profile on Facebook
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Twitter
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Instagram
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Pinterest
  • View Jennifer Lance’s profile on LinkedIn
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on YouTube
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Google+

Eco Child's Play

Live a greener, healthier life!

  • Environment
  • Pregnancy
  • Food & Recipes
  • Health News
  • Parenting
  • Green Toys
  • Beauty & Beauty Products
  • Green Home & Cleaning
  • Contact

How Do You Talk To Your Kids About School Shootings?

school shootingsI admit it. I turned off NPR driving my son to school yesterday. I didn’t want him to hear the news. I didn’t want him to know about Parkland.

I grew up going to school not worried about lockdowns and school shootings. I worried about mean girls, bullies, and the man that killed a girl with a 20-pound rock.

Are we becoming de-sensitized to school shootings? Can we just ignore each one? Can we turn off the news?

Guns vs. mental health. 

Arming teachers. 

Are these the discussions we want to have with our children?

Two weeks ago, my son’s school had a lockdown. A person with a firearm was reported walking by the school. I found out at the Coop. Another parent was there. Her husband said four police cars were in front of the school.  Moments later my son texted, “We are in lockdown.”.  I thought no. This isn’t real. It’s a false alarm. My son is protected. My son is safe. 

My first instinct was to go to the school. Many parents in Florida did just that. Waiting for the next text from their children inside. I also know this could put my own safety at risk.  

It was a false alarm. It was over quickly. The school learned from the experience. Blinds need fixing. Communication improved. 

Are schools prepared?  What sorts of drills should they have? How should parents be notified during a lockdown or incident or should schools wait until it’s over?

Schools avoid lockdown drills in response to school shootings in order not to provoke more anxiety; however, staff can practice without students. As a parent, I want to be notified when there is a lockdown. I don’t want to read it on social media. 

In the district I used to teach in, a parent asked in response to Parkland if counselors would be available at the school to help children understand. This is not part of normal school policy. Counselors come after an incident. But don’t our children and ourselves need help now?  What can we do? Shouldn’t we provide them with professional help now or is it not necessary?

How Do You Talk To Your Kids About School Shootings?

I didn’t, but I should.

The American Psychological Association offers the following advice:

  • Be honest.
  • Acknowledge “that bad things do happen”
  • Reassure that parents, teachers and police work to keep them safe
  • “Put their fears into proportion to the real risk”
  • Limit exposure to media and news so children don’t see it over and over again.
  • Look for early warning signs of anxiety like headaches and poor school performance.[1]http://www.apa.org/topics/violence/school-shooting.aspx

NBC offers additional advice such as get your own anxiety under control before talking to your children.[2]https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/how-mental-health-experts-talk-their-kids-about-school-shootings-ncna845586  

With each school shooting, parents wonder could this happen at my child’s school?  We feel reluctant to drop them off. We consider homeschool.  

The advice missing from all the experts is the most important:  Be Kind. I see troubled kids in their early years lacking self-control and always in trouble for their behavior. Their peers begin to shun them. The adults keep a sharp eye on them just waiting for a mistake. I know. I’ve been that teacher.  I was that substitute teacher today. At the end of the day, I told the boy that I really liked him. That I understood sometimes it was hard to listen and follow directions. But I liked him. I really liked him. 

We wouldn’t have school shootings if kindness was our priority. We wouldn’t have school shootings if all children were loved, connected, and supported. We wouldn’t have school shootings if guns weren’t so readily available. 

So I will continue to talk to my kids about being kind and compassionate. 

It’s not the parents’ fault. It’s not the other students’ fault. It’s not the teachers’ fault. It’s society’s fault. 

It takes a village. 

 

 

 
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Pinterest
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • More
  • WhatsApp
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit

References[+]

↑1 http://www.apa.org/topics/violence/school-shooting.aspx
↑2 https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/how-mental-health-experts-talk-their-kids-about-school-shootings-ncna845586
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe!

« Is the FDA Trying to Ban Homeopathic Remedies?
10 Best Tween Novels Your Kids Must Read »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search Content

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter


About Eco Child’s Play

Our ethos is to provide news, information, and opinions on natural, green parenting to help your family live a greener, healthier life! Additionally, we offer personal consulting services to help you achieve your green living goals.

Jennifer is a vegetarian, yoga teacher, gardener, hiker, teacher, and mother that has been living off-the-grid for over 20 years.

Contact Eco Child’s Play

Plants Over Plastics! Repurpose Compostable Home Products

Convenient Plastic Container Free Dropps Laundry & Dishwashing Pods

More from the archives!

Non-Toxic Disinfecting: Surviving Flu Season

Home Birth: 15% of Medical Interventions Supported by Scientific Evidence [video]

Killing the engine- is it car-less, or careless?

Cloth or Disposable: The Grist's Ask Umbra Weighs in on the Great Diaper Debate

Children’s Literature: You are a Gift to the World; The World is a Gift to You

cbd salve joy organics

CBD Products that Actually Deliver: Joy Organics

wama hemp underwear

The Most Comfortable Underwear is Made of Hemp: WAMA Review

Information

  • About & Contact
  • Archive
  • Blog
  • Consulting Services
  • Disclaimer, Disclosure, & Sponsored Posts
  • Privacy Policy

No BPA, Lead, PVC, Phthlates: Eco-Friendly Munchgear Soup to Nuts Lunch Kit

Seven Tips for Healthy Painting

Childhood Obesity Linked to Tonsillectomy Performed in Early Childhood

Organic Baby: NurturMe Dried Organic Baby Food in a Convenient Pouch

Planet Dog is proud to donate 2% of every sale of any Planet Dog Product to PDF to finance the grant budget. In turn, PDF funds programs that train, place and support working dogs helping people in need.

Eco-Friendly Planet Dog: Don’t forget your pets this holiday season

Popular Categories

  • Breastfeeding
  • Health News
  • Natural Childbirth
  • Parenting
  • Education
  • Product Review
  • Green Toys

Get our posts via email

Please stay in touch!

You might also like to read…

Hank D and the Bee: President Hank 2040

Breastfeeding Reduces Anxiety in Children

Super Easy Irish Soda Bread

Hank D and the Bee: Bad Idea

Organic, fair trade vanilla!

Neilson-Massey: Organic, Fair Trade Madagascar Pure Vanilla and Chocolate Extract!

Copyright © 2023 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2023 · Divine Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.